Electrode assemblies for measuring bio-signals

Abstract

An electrode assembly for measuring bio-signals includes a body, a fastening member extending from the body and provided on one side of the body, the fastening member including a spring groove formed therein and an aperture penetrating therethrough, and a spring inserted into the spring groove. The aperture receives a fastening stud of a patch which is supplied from outside. The spring compresses the fastening stud received in the aperture such that the fastening member fixes the fastening stud thereto.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrode assembly for measuring bio-signals, comprising:
 a body; 
 a fastening member outside the body and extending from a sidewall of the body at one side of the body, the fastening member including a spring groove therein and an aperture extending through the fastening member; and 
 a spring seated in the spring groove of the fastening member, 
 wherein the aperture is sized and shaped to receive a fastening stud of a patch, and the spring is configured to clamp the fastening stud received in the aperture to the fastening member to thereby fix the fastening stud to the electrode assembly, 
 the body includes a base and the sidewall extending upright on the base and delimiting a cavity in the body, 
 the spring groove has a first straight section adjacent to the sidewall of the body, a second straight section facing the first straight section, and a curved section connecting the first straight section to the second straight section, and 
 the spring groove has an extension section leading from the first straight section and open to the cavity through the sidewall of the body. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrode assembly of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first straight section, the second straight section, and the curved section connect to one another such that said sections collectively are U-shaped. 
 
     
     
       3. The electrode assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is located between the first straight section and the second straight section of the spring groove. 
     
     
       4. The electrode assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the aperture opens into the first straight section and the second straight section of the spring groove. 
     
     
       5. The electrode assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the spring has a first straight portion received in the first straight section of the spring groove, a second straight portion received in the second straight section of the spring groove, and a curved portion received in the curved section of the spring groove, and
 the first straight portion, the second straight portion, and the curved portion of the spring collectively are U-shaped. 
 
     
     
       6. The electrode assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the spring further comprises an extension, and
 the extension of the spring extends through the sidewall of the body as received in and guided by the extension section of the spring groove. 
 
     
     
       7. The electrode assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the aperture is located between the first straight section and the second straight section of the spring groove,
 whereby the first and second straight portions of the spring compress the fastening stud received in the aperture to fix the fastening stud to the fastening member. 
 
     
     
       8. The electrode assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the body and the fastening member is formed of an insulative material. 
     
     
       9. The electrode assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the spring is formed of a conductive material. 
     
     
       10. The electrode assembly of  claim 9 , wherein
 the electrode assembly further comprising electronic components configured to measure bio-signals and disposed in the cavity of the body, and electrically connected to the spring. 
 
     
     
       11. The electrode assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a first casing that covers the body and closes off the cavity of the body from an environment outside the electrode assembly; and 
 a second casing that covers the fastening member and the spring received in the spring groove. 
 
     
     
       12. An electrode assembly for measuring bio-signals, comprising:
 a body; 
 a fastening member outside the body and extending from a sidewall of the body at one side of the body, the fastening member including a spring groove therein and an aperture extending through the fastening member; and 
 a spring seated in the spring groove of the fastening member, 
 wherein the aperture is sized and shaped to receive a fastening stud of a patch, and the spring is configured to clamp the fastening stud received in the aperture to the fastening member to thereby fix the fastening stud to the electrode assembly, 
 the body includes a base and the sidewall extending upright on the base and delimiting a cavity in the body, and 
 the electrode assembly further comprising a connection member that extends from the body on a side of the body opposite that from which the fastening member extends from the body, the connection member having a wire groove therein that is open to the cavity through the sidewall of the body. 
 
     
     
       13. The electrode assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a wire received in the wire groove; and 
 electronic components configured to measure bio-signals provided in the cavity of the body, 
 wherein the wire extends into the cavity and is electrically connected to the electronic components. 
 
     
     
       14. The electrode assembly of  claim 12 , including the patch, the patch comprising a membrane and the fastening stud fixed to and extending upright on the membrane.